The Hong Kong Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health is today (April 15) investigating a case of Legionnaires’ disease (LD) involving a woman aged 54.
The patient, with underlying diseases, has presented with fever, cough and shortness of breath since April 9 and consulted a private doctor on the same day. She was admitted to Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital (PYNEH) for management yesterday (April 14) and was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit for further management today.
The clinical diagnosis was pneumonia and she is now in stable condition.
Her urine sample tested positive for Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 antigen upon testing by PYNEH.
Initial inquiries by the CHP revealed that the patient had travelled to Taishan, Guangdong, from April 2 to 8. Her travel collateral and home contacts have remained asymptomatic. Investigations are ongoing.
This is the ninth LD case reported to the CHP this year. In 2014 and 2013, 41 and 28 cases were recorded respectively.
This type of “official” press release inferring the patient contracted Legionnaires Disease outside of Hong Kong is a typical Government response of turning a blind eye to the massive Legionella problem plaguing Hong Kong. The city’s aged water pipes in older buildings contaminate the potable water supply extensively, while the CHP and WSD downplay this fact and do absolutely nothing to investigate.